Method of producing non-run hosiery



March 8, 1966 v M, NEBEL 3,238,746

METHOD OF PRODUCING NON-RUKHQSIERY I Filed Jan. 31, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Ina/euro? Max 172341,

akQJ'GJ V I.

March a, 1966 M, NEB L 3,238,746

METHOD OF PRODUCING NON-RUN HOSIERY Filed Jan. 51, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lN/E/W'OP (1) 6H Mar ll ibel,

March 8, 1966 I M. NEBEL 3,238,746

METHOD OF PRODUCING NON-RUN HOSIERY Filed Jan. 51, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5' Max 1121b],

March 8, 1966 M. NEBEL 3,238,746

METHOD OF PRODUCING NON-RUN HOSIERY Filed Jan. 31, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVE' NT 07? Mar M1661 United States Patent 3,238,746 METHOD OF PRODUCING NON-RUN HOSIERY Max Nebel, Wiesbaden, Germany, assignor to Hanes Hosiery Mills Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Jan. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 170,029 Claims priority, applicatiognsGermany, Feb. 4, 1961,

46 Claims. (Cl. 66-108) The invention relates to a method of producing ladderproof hosiery on a circular knitting machine, the knitted fabric being of the kind in which a thread loop of a previous course is knitted together with the thread of an immediately following course to form double-thread stitches therein.

The arrangement of the courses in such a fabric is that a course comprising stitches and tuck loops alternates with a course having a full complement of stitches only and no tuck loops, the thread being knitted in the tuck loop course, into stitches alternating or in predetermined sequence and into intermediate tuck loops of such a size, as to entail a thread length which is substantially shorter than, and if desired one half or less than that of the length into which the thread is formed for the course with the large-stitches and having a full complement of stitches, the short tuck loops being knitted together with stitches of the subsequent course in the same wales to form double-thread stitches which are displaced in the wales by one stitch at least after every second course.

In another kind of knitted fabric, a course comprising stitches and tuck loops alternates with a course of stitches only, the thread of the tuck loop course being knitted to stitches alternating or in predetermined sequence and with intermediate tuck loops of such a size, as to entail a thread length which, in contrast to the knitted fabric first described, is substantially greater than, if desired twice or more times, the thread length to which the thread for the course of small stitches only is formed, the long tuck loops being knitted together with the stitches of the next course in the same wale to form double-thread stitches which are displaced in the wales by one stitch at least after every second course.

The thread tends to be damaged in such knitting pro cedures wherein, in co-operation with the special needle movements of the latch needles for forming this basic stitch pattern, the operation of the needles must be considered that a thread loop is sunk on the open latch and retained thereon until it is formed into a stitch in a subsequent course, while thread of the previously formed stitch is disposed between the open :latch and the needle stem.

In connection with such knitting methods whereby in relation to special needle motions of the latch needles for producing the required stitch structure, the method which the needles have to carry out consists in that a thread loop is laid on the downwardly opened latches, this thread loop remaining there until it is knitted together with thread of the next course to stitches, and in this case, the downwardly opened latch may damage the stitch which has been previously formed and is on the needle stem under the latch.

It is an object of the invention to obviate any damage to the thread during all the stitch-forming cycles required to produce such a knitted fabric.

According to the invention, to produce ladder-proof knitted fabric of the kind specified, when the course comprising large stitches and double-thread stitches is being formed, the thread is drawn into loops on a sinking point of the sinker in front of or behind a hook on the sinker, whereafter the stitches on all the needles are moved below the latch and onto the needle stem, whereafter, to form the course comprising stitches and thread loops, the thread of at least every second needle is drawn into loops on a Patented Mar. 8, 1966 sinking point of the sinker behind or on the hook thereof, the intermediate non-stitch-forming needles which merely receive thread for the thread loops being so moved down relatively to the sinkers that the thread is placed on the somewhat downwardly opened latch or on a sinker point near the hinge-joint of the latch, and these intermediate needles, in this low position and in this position of the thread loops, pass through the casting off region and into the closed or following neutral position to receive the thread and, to form the double-thread stitches comprising the thread loops, while the other needles perform their customary movements, the needles alternating their operation after every two stitch-forming cycles.

According to one featurev of the invention, to form a course comprising small stitches and thread loops, after the threads of all the needles have reached the region of the needle hook, the non-stitch-forming needles are lowered only until the stitch. closes the needle hook by the latch, whereafter, while the other needles are passing through the stitch-forming cycle, the threads is drawn over the hinge-joint of the latch to the needle stem on the sinking point of the sinker into thread loops; and after the casting-01f motion of the sinkers such needles are again raised so far that the thread loop is turned. by the latch away from the needle hook only to such an extent that the latch is substantially at right-angles to the needle upon entering the next stitch-forming cycle to receive and knit the thread. When the needles are in these low positions with thread loops lying above the opened or closed latch, no pressure is applied to the latch by such loops until the same are knitted and there is no jamming or clamping of the stitch below the latch.

According to another feature of the invention, to prevent any pressure from being applied to the latch while the thread is being drawn into loops, during formation of the course comprising small stitches and thread loops, the sinkers are so moved between the needles of the needle circle that the thread of every second needle is drawn behind the sinker into loops on a sinker point which is situated somewhat in front of the downwardly and outwardly extending latch of the intermediate needles. By taking or absorbing of thread pressure on the sinker during sinking of the thread any pressing or clamping of the thread of the stitch which lies under the latch on the needle stem is prevented.

In another instance long thread loops proceed from large stitches and are knitted in the next course to form double-thread stitches, the thread of at least every second needle is formed, over the top edge of the sinker hook and in front of the downwardly opened latch, into very long stitches and thread loops, whereafter, during the formation of the next course which is formed by all the needles into stitches, these thread loops are knitted with the thread of the said next course behind the sinker hook to form small double-thread stitches. In this procedure the thread pressure is taken or absorbed by the sinker hook and because of this the long thread loops and the sinker hooks which are, between the long thread loops and the stitches for sinking the thread loops into double thread stitches no pressure or clamping action can occur on the said stitches.

To form the courses of varying thread lengths, the invention provides a variety of sinker movements relatively to the needles, in order that the thread may be formed into larger or smaller length loops on higher or lower sinking points. If sinkers are used having sinker points at the same height in front of and behind the sinker hook, the long-loop course is formed on the sinking point in front of the hook and the short-loop course is formed on the sinking point behind the sinker hook; it is important that, during the formation of the course comprising small stitches and thread loops, the stitches of what must be pulled through the large stitches of the previous course, the sinkers have an action on the large stitches of the previous course whilst they are being castoif over the small stitches and the needles, whereas when the large-stitch course is being formed, it is sufiicient for the sinkers to be operative conventionally and to cast off the stitches of such course.

If a sinker is used in which the sinking point behind the sinker hook is higher than the sinking point in front of the hook, the long-loop courses and the short-loop courses are formed on the higher point behind the sinker hook. This procedure has two advantages. In both courses the sinkers for casting off the stitches are operative on the previous course; also, the loops of the previous course can be formed into double-thread stitches on the lower sinking point in front of the sinker hook, so that such loops are not pulled out by the needles to the same extent as the loops of the course to be newly formed.

However, the two advantageous features can be used in combination in a single sinker construction. Such sinkers have behind the sinker hook two sinking points which are at different heights and which are both higher than the customary sinking point in front of the hook. Also, one sinking point can be on the top edge of the sinker hook and the other sinking point can be disposed behind the sinker hook the sinking point behind the sinker hook being higher than or at the same height as the customary sinking point in front of the sinker hook.

It is assumed in this case that the needles are moved to the same extent into their lowest position by the knitting cams for two feeder systems in the stitch-forming cycles. Alternately, however, the knitting cams can be adjusted to different heights from one another in order to form stitches of different sizes.

If the extent to which the needles are drawn down is the same for the two stitch-forming cycles but a greater difference in thread length is required in the large-stitch course as compared with the short-stitch course, extra thread can in known manner be drawn for the stitches in the stitch-forming cycle by the sinkers being moved earlier or further into the needle circle the knocking-over throat of the sinker, acting upon the stitches which it is required to form.

The knitted fabric produced by the method according to the invention, and the procedures for carrying the method into effect and corresponding sinkers for a circular stocking knitting machine are illustrated by Way of example in the drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1-8 are side elevations showing the stitchforming movements and the positions of the needles required to produce the fabric shown in FIGS. 11 and 12;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are rear elevations of the stitch-forming movements and the positions of the needles required to produce the fabric shown in FIGS. 10 and 11;

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the stitch patterns of the ladder-proof fabric, and

FIG. 13 illustrates a part of the sinker and needle circle, with the sinker cams and the special movements of the sinkers, in plan, for producing the fabric shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The stitch structure (FIG. 11) is built up of courses a with small stitches B, alternated by courses b with large stitches A and double thread-stitches D. During the production of the course a only small stitches B are produced on every second needle, whilst the thread loops, which are on the intermediate needles, are not formed into stitches, but these thread loops during production of the course b, with a full complement of stitches are knitted together with alternate stitches of this course b, so forming double thread-stitches D between the large stitches A.

Because of the knitting together of these thread loops in the next course b, so forming stitches D, the stitches B are contracted and are formed into small locking stitches. In order to obtain alternating locking-stitches B in the needle wales, the stitches B from one course a to another are produced in a mesh-pattern with one needle-step in such a way, that always in the direction of the stitch wales there is sequentially after a small stitch, a large stitch A, then a double thread stitch D, again a single thread small stitch B, etc. The large stitches A arise because no stitches are formed through the stitches A, during production of the course a.

The production of courses of loops with two different thread lengths (e.g., stitch sizes) provides such different stress-relations between the stitches, especially because of the small locking stitches B from which the inclined thread lengths S proceed, to the stitches D that ladders in the fabric can no longer occur.

The other stitch-structure (FIG. 12) is also built up of courses a and courses b, but in contrast with the fabric (FIG. 11) the course a, is made of a longer thread length than the course b. The course b is made of a full complement of stitches only, in fact of larger stitches B and contracted small stitches S, whilst the course a is formed with stitches A only in every second stitch wale, and therebetween with thread loops, which are knitted together, in the next course b in the same stitch wale with the stitches S, so forming double thread stitches S/D, the long inclined portions L proceeding from two stitches A into a double thread stitch S/D.

To obtain sequential stitches B, stitches S/D and stitches A, in one stitch wale, the progress from the course of loops at to the course of loops b is then in a mesh-pattern with one needle-step. In the direction of the stitch wales there is always sequentially after one large stitch A, a large stitch B, and then a double stitch S/D.

Because of the alternate omission of a stitch A in the course a in this stitch-structure, the stitch B of the previous course b, through which no stitch A is formed, is elongated into its required stitch length, taking the amount of yarn it requires for this purpose from the neighbouring stitches S, so pulling these out, or contracting them, up to their minimum size, and because of this forming them into locking stitches.

The stitch-structure of the fabric according to FIG. 12 may be altered in such a way that the long thread loops F of the course a are not combined with the stitches S to form the stitches S/D in the next course b, but that these long thread loops F are knitted as tuck loops F inbetween the stitches B and S as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 12.

To produce the runproof fabric according to FIGS. 11 and 12 on a circular stocking knitting machine, a needle selection is required whereby the needles are divided in two groups and in such a way that at least every second needle at one time the needle N and at the other time the needle N is selected by means of the known needle selector attachment (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

To produce this runproof fabric according to FIGS. 11 and 12 the procedure is basicly such, that the threads are formed into two different stitch sizes by at least two feed systems in two stitch-forming cycles for forming of courses of loops, and that with one system the thread forms, on at least every second needle (N or N small stitches B or large stitches A, of a course a whilst the intermediate needles N or N are eliminated from the loop forming procedure, but not from taking up thread and that these needles are moved on through the loop forming procedure to the other feeder system in such a way that thread is laid in the opened latches Z and remains the-re until at the next feeder system loops are formed on all needles (N and N so producing a course of loops b, consisting of a full complement of single thread sitches A or B and double thread stitches D or S/D. This production of double thread stitches is obtained because the thread-portions of the previous course of loops at, which remained on every second needle N or N are knitted together with the thread for producing the course of loops b, whereby from feeder system to feeder system the needles reverse their working procedure (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

The method of production of the fabric (FIG. 11) is carried out as follows. Imagine, that according to FIG. 9 the stitches A are on the needles N and the double stitches D on the needles N All the needles N and N before they take up yarn again, rise so far (in the rotational direction R) that their stitches A and double stitches D arrive underneath the opened latches Z on the stern of the needle. Thereby the needles N are pushed upwards into a higher position than the needles N to enable the separated drawing downwards of both the needle groups. Then. the needles N and N pass the yarn-feeder-finger and the yarn is fed to all the needles, in other words laid in front of the needles, after which only the needles N are moved downwards to sink the loops and to produce a course of loops a with small stitches B, whilst the needles N are only drawn downwards to such an extent that they pass through the loop-sinking and stitch-forming procedure so that the thread of the course of loops a arrives on the opened latch Z, and on the sinking point P of the sinker as a nearly straight or float thread. portion F (see FIGS. 1 and 2). These needle positions of the needles N and N and the amount of thread on these needles is shown in rear elevation (see FIG. 9). The thread of the course of loops at is formed only by every second needle N into loops B, in front of the needles and on the sinking points P P and P These loops B become contracted because of the knitting of the thread loops F into double stitches D and therefore a substantial difference in the stitch sizes is obtained.

After this stitch producing procedure of the one knitting system the needles N (in the same previously described position and as shown in FIG. 9) also pass, with the thread portion F on the opened latches Z (see FIGS. 1 and 2) through to the start of the next stitch forming procedure, in other words, until the next feeder system. At this next feeder system the needles in this position take the thread for the course b (FIG. 10) and form with the thread portion F the double thread stitches D. This stitch forming procedure is started by the needles N because these needles, on which the small stitches B are present, rise so far that the stitches B come underneath the opened latches Z on the stem of the nedle (FIG. 10). From here the needles N and N go downwards whilst taking up thread for the course of loops b from the yarn-feed-finger, into the loop sinking and casting off position, and the thread for this course b is formed into stitches on the sinklin-g point P, behind the sinker hook or on the sinking point P in front of the sinker hook.

The sinking points P and P in front of and behind the sinker hooks P for the threads for the courses of loops a and b may lie at the same height. For the course b of large stitches, every needle produces stitches and for the course a with small stitches only every second needle produces stitches, and because of that the difference between the thread and loop length of both the courses is already substantial. If a larger loop length is required for the stitches of the course b, than for the stitches of the course a, then thread of this course b is laid on a high-lying sinking point P (FIGS. 1 and 5.) If the course of loops b consisting of large loops is produced on the sinking point P, in front of the sinker hook P then the course a with small loops may be produced on a sinking point P behind the hook P which lies lower than the sinking point P in front of the sinker hook (FIG. 6).

For the production of the fabric according to FIG. 12 which is the reverse of the fabric according to FIG. 11 as to the relation of the loop length of the courses a and b to one another the thread a (FIG. 9) is pulled only by every second needle N over the sinker hooks P, so forming long loops. For this purpose there is an additional. sinker cam (P provided, of which the dwell P is situated to act at an earlier time in the rotational direction R of the machine, so that the sinkers are moved:

between the needles at an earlier time, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 13, P and P In order that with every second needle N long thread loops are made for the large stitches A and for the double thread stitches S/D, without substantial. changing of the draw depths of the needles in relation with the other knitting system, the thread of the course a is formed by means of the needle N over the high lying surface of the sinker hook P into stitches A. and thread loops F, either with all sinkers P or only with every second sinker P (see FIG. 6). Thereby the needles N (FIG. 9.), after they have brought their stitches of the previous: course b underneath the needle-latches Z and on the stem of the needle, are. drawn downwards in. such a height position and moved past the loop sinking region where the needle N. is lowered to sinking position (see FIG. 6), that the thread of the course a (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 9) is' laid in front of the opened latches Z of theseneedles.v In the thereon following stitch forming cycle for the. course b (FIG. 10) the sinkers P then take the same position in relation with the needles N and their latches Z as in. FIG. 1, and the thread of the course b is then formed by all needles into loops on the sinking points P P or P" of the, sinkers (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 10,).

This'method of production with the use of latch needles of the usual shape, causes a scissor like pressure on the latch of the needle, because the thread of the large stitch A of FIG- 11 or stitch B of FIG. 12, which lie during forming of the thread loops F under the opened latch Z on the stem of the needle, and depending upon the strength of that pressure or the quality of the needle may cause damage to thethread and/ or the needle.

This also appears to. an even greater extent during casting off of the stitches of thread a of the FIG. 11 fabric by the sinkers, whenthe large stitch A still on needles N must; close the latch Z on which the short thread loop F lies, to produce the double thread stitch D, whereby the short thread loop F continuously presses on the latch and also on the stitch A below the latch until the thread loop F arrives in the neighbourhood of the hinge-joint of the latch. To overcome this disadvantage, the following method of operating the needles and sinkers, according to a further embodiment of the invention, is carried out. FIG. 13 shows the top-elevation of the needle and sinker area. From the start courses of loops with stitches A and D (FIG. 11) are formed at the main knitting system with the sinker cam P and P with the usual sinker motions, and courses of loops of stitches B, are produced at the second knitting system. From the sinker motion it follows further than the sinkers P with their sinker hooks P at the second knitting system, are only drawn out of the needle circle to such an extent, as shown in FIG. 1, that the loops of the course a with stitches B, are sunk behind the hooks, in other words that the thread a is formed into loops B by the needles N on the sinking point P or on the sinking point P, which lies a little higher, as shown in dotted lines. The result of this improved method is that the sinkers P are brought into such a position, in relation to the needles, that the back of the sinker hook P is positioned a little in front of the open latch Z of the needle N (N and because of that the thread loo-p F remains on the sinking point P in front of the opened latch, but does not lay on this open latch. After sinking of the thread a into loops B the casting off of the double stitches D follows, and because of that the sinkers P are moved further into the needle-circle and the thread loops F are pressed on, the latches.

In order that, with this procedure there shall be no pressure on the stitch A, which lies under the latch, the procedure according to the invention (FIG. 2) is such that, before the needles N (FIG. 1) have reached their lowest sinking-position, the needles N are drawn downwards to such an extent, that the thread loops F arrive at the hinge-joint of the latch Z and because of that they can not produce pressure on the stitches A. The needles N are pulled downwards until the sinker-throat P starts operating on the stitches to cast them off.

- To prevent any pressure on the latch by the thread loops F and by the thread of the stitch A, during the loop sinking and casting olf motions, another method according to the invention can be used (see FIG. 4).

With this method the procedure is such, that stitches B and thread loops F again are formed behind the sinker hooks P into loops, on the sinking point P and it is not then required to absorb the thread pressure by the back of the sinker hooks, if the sinkers P are not drawn out of their position in the needle circle in the rotating direction R before they reach the second knitting system but remain in their same sinker position P as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 13.

The loop sinking needle N and the needle N which takes the thread loops F and which are a certain distance higher, both obtain thread and are then pulled downwards, the needles N however sinking only so much, that their latches are closed by the stitch A without casting ofi. These needles N sink to such an extent that the latches arrive with their hinge-joint below the sinking point P This position of the needle N is maintained (FIG. 4) during the loop sinking and casting off procedures of needles N and because of that the thread for the thread loop F no longer lies on or over the opened latch, but it lies within the needle hooks and on the sinking point P Because the movable sinker cam P is moved towards the needles, the sinkers P at the second system are not drawn back. The further inward motion of the sinkers, to cast off the double stitches D, from the position P is achieved by the additional sinker cam P (FIG. 13), in a similar way as by the usual sinker cam P After the casting off procedure the needles N rise upwards out of their positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 into the tuck position, to which the needles N also rise, if the method of FIG. 4 is used. All the needles are in tuck position going into the next knitting system, no matter if the method according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 4 is followed, whereby it the usual method is followed, the latches of the needles, would he opened to such an extent that they touch the stem of the needle, in which case again a pressure would be created between the latch and the stitches A, which are below the latches, on those needles N which have a thread loop F on their latches.

By a further embodiment of the invention this disadvantage is avoided in such a way that the needles N rise int-o the tuck position from the position of FIG. 4, Le, to the extent shown in FIG. 3, whereby their latches are turned away from their needle hooks, by the thread loops F of when the needles move from the position of FIG. 4 to the position FIG. 3, or the needles N remain in their position of FIG. 2, so that in either case (FIG. 2 or FIG. 3) the thread loop F will still lie in the neighbourhood of the hinge-joint of the latch Z and because of that the thread loop can no longer give a harmful pressure on the latches. In this height position the needles N pass the yarn-feeder-finger K and take up the thread b (FIG. 3) whereupon this thread in the next knitting system arrives in the hooks of needles N together with the thread loops F and so is knitted together, thus forming the double stitches D. The needles N on the contrary, are moved upwards to clearing level, between the casting olT procedure at the second system and the main system (FIG. 3), to such an extent and by means of the needle jacks and other-parts, that the stitches B arrive below the latches Z on the stem of the needles (FIG. 3), From this position the needles N and N pass the yarn-feeder-finger K and take up the thread for the course b which in the next stitch forming procedure is formed by the needles N into 8 stitches A and by the needles N (FIG. 5) are formed into the double thread stitches D on the usual sinking point P.

At the main system FIG. 3 being a sectional elevation on line 33 (FIG. 13), the sinkers P are drawn out of the needle circle, then the threads are formed, by the needles into loops on the sinking point P whilst the sinkers P again are moved into the needle circle to act with their throats P upon the stitches of the just formed course of loops during the casting off procedure.

The casting off of the course a with small stitches B over the course of long loops with large stitches A and double thread stitches D, does not cause difiiculties as would be the case if the courses were reversed so that with this system it is not absolutely required to sink the thread to loops behind the sinker hook P and for this reason it is not necessary to have a sinker of which the lower portion of the hook between the sinking point P and P is of a very small width.

Because of the action of the sinkers P upon the course of loops to be produced (in other words) by their throats P it is also possible, with equal or approximately equal needle drawing for the loop length at both the knitting system to act upon the threads to be knitted with the sinkers P and an additional sinker cam P by giving them further and/0r earlier motion towards the needles in such a way, that the thread is pulled, in addition to the loop sinking depths of the needle, to a little larger loop by the sinkers, and because of that the diiference between the thread length of the course b of loops with stitches A and D, and the course a of loops with stitches B, may be increased.

After the production of the course of loops with stitches A and D, for example at the main system, the needles N and N reverse their operating method for the next course a.

Selected by their needle-jacks, the needles N now are pushed upwards, higher than the needles N in FIG. 9, which also rise, to such an extent, that their stitches D arrive below the opened latch Z, and because of that the needles N arrive with their butts in another cam track, which lies higher than the one for the needle N and then the needles N are moved downwards with the needle N in the loop sinking procedure with a difference in height between the needles as in the previous described positions of the FIGS. 1 and 2 and because of that the thread can still be laid over the latch, this time of needle N The further procedures are as described only in contast therewith, that the needles N carry out the motion of the needles N and N carry out the motions of the needles N whereupon after every second stitch forming procedure, the operating methods of the needles N and N are reversed.

By using sinkers with two different sinker points P and Pa, behind the sinker hooks P the pressure of thread for the thread loop F on the needle latch Z is prevented by the inclined edge P of the sinker (FIG. 7) which takes over the function of the back side of the sinker hook P, in FIG. 1. The invention provides therefore sinkers with which the thread for both the courses of loops :1 and b can be formed into stitches behind the sinker hook P FIG. 8 shows such a sinker P, which has behind the hook P two different sinking points P and P at diiferent levels, which are connected by an inclined edge P The second sinking point P lies a little higher than the usual sinking point P or at the same level. FIG. 8 shows how with the same drawdepths of the needle N, three dilferent loop lengths may be produced. In this case it is advantageous that the high sinking point P behind the sinker hook P starts almost perpendicular above the bottom P of the throat of the sinker, so that it will not be required to move the sinker too far with the throat P into the needle circle during sinking of the loops on this sinking point P To produce the fabric according to FIG. 11 in which the thread loops F of a small course of loops a are knitted into stitches in the next course, it is advantageous, that the sinking point on which this course of loops is formed, lies a little higher than the sinking point P in front of the hook P on which the thread loop F (FIG. 5) again is pulled downwards with the needles in their lowest position.

If the thread loops F in a fabric according to FIG. 12 are not knitted into double thread stitch S/D, but are bound in as tuck loops F between the successive stitches B and S, shown in dotted lines as tuck loop F, then by a simple change in the method of operation, such a fabric can be obtained as follows.

If during production of the course of loops a the long thread loops F (FIG. 9) are not laid in front of the opened latches Z, but under the latches Z and on the stem of the needles N with stitches B, then these thread loops F are, during closing of the needle hooks by the latches, cast off over the needles. The thread loops F can be formed below the latches Z if the needles N are moved downwards to a lesser extent than as shown in FIG. 9 and because of that take the position of the needle N shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows that the thread loops F arrive under the latches Z.

To obtain thread loops F of extra long length as herein described on only every second stitch forming needle, the thread, is formed into large loops A and thread loops F on the top of the sinker hook P by the hereinbefore described method as shown in FIG. 6. From this method it follows, that during production of the course a with tuck loops F the needles on which the tuck loops F are produced, are pulled downwards in the loop sinking procedure. Because of this for producing the fabric according to FIG. 12 it is not required that during production of the course a the sinking point P in front of the hook of the sinker on which the stitches or thread loops F of the previous course 12 is once again drawn in the loop sinking motion, must lie lower than the sinking point P behind the hook for the course a but it is still required to have different levels of sinking points behind the hook to produce different loop length.

What we claim is:

1. A method of knitting run-resistant fabric on a circular knitting machine having a set of latch needles and sinkers and at least two feeds, the steps comprising (a) moving selected needles to form the thread of a first feed into stitches,

(b) moving the intermediate needles so that they receive and retain the thread of the first feed on their open latches adjacent the hinge joints while proceeding to a second feed, so that no pressure is exerted by the latches on any previously formed stitches located on these needles beneath the latches,

(c) moving selected needles to form the thread of the second feed into stitches and (d) moving the intermediate needles to form double threaded stitches by combining the thread from the first feed with that of the second feed, the selected and intermediate needles reversing their movements before again taking yarn from the first feed.

2. The method of knitting as defined in claim 1, further including the steps of (a) forming the thread of the first feed by selected needles into stitches on sinking ledges located behind the sinker nebs, the intermediate needles being drawn down to a level so that the thread is laid over their latches adjacent the hinge joints, said needles remaining at said level until they take thread at the second feed, and

(b) forming the thread of the second feed by all needles into stitches on sinking ledges located in front of the sinker nebs, the intermediate needles forming double-threaded stitches.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of (a) moving the sinkers into the needle circle during the formation of the course composed of stitches and thread loops so that thread is drawn by selected needles into loops behind the sinker nebs on ledges which are located in front of the downwardly and outwardly extending latch of the intermediate needles.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the steps of (a) lowering the intermediate needles having stitches on their stems to receive the thread of the first feed on their open latches adjacent the hinge-joints and then further lowering said needles tosuch a level that the stitches on the needle stems close the latches with the thread of the first feed in the hook but remain on the latch, and then (b) raising the intermediate needles to tuck level when approaching the second feed so that their latches are opened by the loops within the hooks in preparation for receiving thread from the second feed.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 further including the steps of (a) forming the thread of the first feed by selected needles into large stitch-es by advancing the sinkers inwardly adjacent the first feed so that said needles pull the yarn on top of the sinker nebs into large stitches and long thread loops, said loops being carried on the open latches of the intermediate needles adjacent the hinge joints, and

(b) forming the thread of the second feed by all the needles into smaller stitches, the thread of the second feed being combined with the thread loops to form small double-thread stitches on sinker ledges in front of or behind the nebs.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 further including the step of (a) advancing inwardly the sinkers adjacent the second feed so that the thread of the second feed is combined with the thread loops to form small doublethread stitches on sinker ledges behind the nebs.

7. A method of knitting run-resistant fabric on a circular knitting machine having a set of latch needles and at least two feeds, the steps comprising (a) lowering selected needles to form the thread of the first feed into stitches,

(b) lowering the intermediate needles having stitches below their latches to receive the thread of the first feed on their open latches adjacent the hinge-joints and then further lowering said needles to such a height that the stitches below the latches close the latches with the thread of the first feed in the hooks but remain on the needles, and

(c) raising the intermediate needles to tuck level when approaching the second feed so that the latches are opened by the loops within the hooks but remain on the latches in preparation for receiving thread from the second feed within the hooks of said needles, the selected and intermediate needles reversing their movements before again taking yarn from the first feed.

8. A method of knitting run-resistant fabric on a circular knitting machine having a full set of latch needles and sinkers and at least two feeds, the steps comprising (a) feeding the thread of a first feed to all the needles, each of which have stitches of a prior course formed on their stems,

(b) forming the thread of said first feed by selected needles into stitches while the intermediate needles are raised above clear level to receive the thread on their stems as thread loops, and

(c) forming the thread of a second feed by all the needles into stitches, the thread loops and the stitches located on the stems of intermediate needles being cast off together, the selected and intermediate needles reversing their movements before again taking yarn from the first feed.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 further including the steps of (a) advancing inwardly the sinkers adjacent the first feed so that the thread of said feed is taken by selected needles and pulled down on top of the sinker nebs thereby forming long thread loops and long stitches, and

(b) positioning the sinkers adjacent the second feed so that the thread of said feed is taken by every needle and pulled down on sinker ledges in front of or behind the nebs.

10. The method as defined in claim 8 further including the step of (a) fully advancing inwardly the sinkers adjacent the second feed so that the thread of said feed is taken by every needle and pulled down on sinker ledges located behind the nebs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,636 6/1934 Lawson -a 66--42 2,243,392 5/1941 Page 66107 2,374,857 5/1945 Fregeolle 66108 2,378,946 6/1945 Page 66107 2,529,181 11/1950 Page 66108 2,582,465 1/1952 Pierre 66108 3,023,594 3/1962 Mahler 66142 FOREIGN PATENTS 548,017 8/1956 Italy.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER,'Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF KNITTING RUN-RESISTANT FABRIC ON A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A SET OF LATCH NEEDLESS AND SINKERS AND AT LEAST TWO FEEDS, THE STEPS COMPRISING (A) MOVING SELECTED NEEDLES TO FORM THE THREAD OF A FIRST FEED INTO STITCHES, (B) MOVING THE INTERMEDIATE NEEDLES SO THAT THEY RECEIVE AND RETAIN THE THREAD OF THE FIRST FEED ON THEIR OPEN LATCHES ADJACENT THE HINGE JOINTS WHILE PROCEEDING TO A SECOND FEED, SO THAT NO PRESSURE IS EXERTED BY THE LATCHES ON ANY PREVIOUSLY FORMED STITCHES LOCATED ON THESE NEEDLES BENEATH THE LATCHES, (C) MOVING SELECTED NEEDLES TO FORM THE THREAD OF THE SECOND FEED INTO STITCHES AND (D) MOVING THE INTERMEDIATE NEEDLES TO FORM DOUBLE THREADED STITCHES BY COMBINING THE THREAD FROM THE FIRST FEED WITH THAT OF THE SECOND FEED, THE SELECTED AND INTERMEDIATE NEEDLES REVERSING THEIR MOVEMENTS BEFORE AGAIN TAKING YARN FROM THE FIRST FEED. 